News in Pictures: Restoration Efforts in Full Swing in Quake-Hit Areas; Volunteers from Across the Nation Providing Help

Reunited friends play in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 21.
13:56 JST, January 30, 2024
Monday marked four weeks since the powerful Noto Peninsula Earthquake and tsunami struck Ishikawa Prefecture on New Year’s Day. Restoration work is intensifying in the affected areas.

A bouquet is seen Sunday in an area of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, that was devastated by fire following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
The quake-damaged Noto Airport in Wajima resumed commercial flight operations on Saturday after restoration work was completed.

The first train to arrive at Nanao Station in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, from Kanazawa since operations were restored is seen on Jan. 22. Some platforms were still not in use because of damage from the disaster.
Volunteers from across the nation recruited by the Ishikawa prefectural government began their work on Saturday in Nanao, Anamizu and Shika, which all suffered severe damage. The prefectural government initially prioritized access of emergency vehicles and relief transportation and asked general volunteers to refrain from entering the affected areas.

Volunteers remove items from damaged homes in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Saturday.

Temporary housing is moved by crane on the grounds of an elementary school in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Thursday.
The most severely damaged cities of Wajima and Suzu have not yet been able to accept volunteers, but residents are making efforts to support each other. A hair salon in Suzu reopened on Jan. 13 despite the shop being severely damaged by the quake. “I want to see my customers’ smiles, and I hope I can make them feel a little better,” the 41-year-old owner said.

A hair salon owner laughs with a customer in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture. The salon was severely damaged, but the owner restarted operations at customers’ request.


Top: Residents cook dinner together at a community center serving as a voluntary evacuation facility in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Thursday. Bottom: Evacuees enjoy an evening at a makeshift izakaya pub in a gymnasium being used as an evacuation center in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Friday.
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